Parker plays through finger sprain

On a Sunday afternoon, Spurs point guard Tony Parker got a taste of some good old American football when Portland center Joel Przybilla took him down with a horse-collar tackle late in the third quarter.

However, it was a rather innocuous encounter with Marcus Camby earlier in the game that will stick with Parker. Reaching for a steal in the first quarter, Camby hit Parker’s right hand, aggravating a middle-finger sprain the Spurs point guard had been dealing with for the past week.

His finger noticeably swollen after the Spurs’ 95-78 victory, Parker vowed to press on in spite of the injury.

“Every time somebody hits it, it hurts,” said Parker, whose game has returned to All-Star levels this season. “It’s been two or three games. Just have to deal with it.”

Parker said he initially hurt the finger, which is on his shooting hand, during a Dec. 5 victory over New Orleans. In the two games between that one and Sunday’s against Portland, Parker had gone 17 of 28 from the field and averaged 18 points.

X-rays on the finger were negative.

“They said it was just a sprain,” Parker said. “Nothing’s broken.”

The finger clearly bothered Parker on Sunday after his run-in with Camby. He shook his hand vigorously after it was whacked, and had athletic trainer Will Sevening work on it during a timeout. Parker began the game 4 of 7 from the floor, but finished 2 of 9 and scored 14 points with six assists.

The team’s medical staff has suggested Parker wear some sort of splint on the finger, but so far he has balked.

“I’m not a big fan of that, so we’ll see,” said Parker, who for now does not expect to miss time with the injury.

Jeff McDonald

9 Responses

lol Clint..perhaps you should do some research before you post your usual nonsense. D-Wll,Steve Nash,J Kidd,C Paul,Derek Rose,Russell Westbrook,ALL have higher career TO’s than TP has (2.5).And, surprise, TP also beats them all in FG %..but don’t let FACTS get in the way of your blind,ignorant hatred of TP.

REALLY, I’m not sure how long you have been on this board, perhaps under a different name, but you are right on with your assessment. Not liking to call someone stupid, but unintelligent comment for sure.

And Johnny T you call him a Spurs fan?? All he does is spew negativity about TP. I’m beginning to think that Clint is another one on the ranch who is having trouble with TP being french. I also can’t stand when a grown man has to refer to the lakers and mavs as the fakers and wavs. Have at it but it sounds sophomoric and kid like. No I’m not policing you but just stating my opinion.

Relative to TP he has averaged 13 shots per game for his career and made 50% of them and averages about 2 TOs per game for his career as well.

i agree johnny..everyoone is entitled to their opinion and i don’t think clint is stupid, but his posts are very stupid and his opinions are unintelligent because they lack foundation. he says tp should stop shooting so much, yet the fact is that among all “elite” pg’s only jkidd shoots less and tp shoots at a higher %. that’s just one example. my thing is…it’s stupid and unitelligent to hate on someone the way clint hates on tp and then can’t offer any facts to backup why.

Clint is just being Clint, this board would not be the same without him. It doesn’t make him stupid or unintelligent, he’s just coming from a different angle. Bottom line, I am sure Clint is as much as a Spurs fan as any of us. I’d much rather go after the idiot faker or wavs posters that come on here from time to time, now those clowns really don’t have a clue.

clint
parker doesn’t shoot nearly as much as other pg’s in the league. and typically he shoot’s around 50% from the floor. we’re 20-3 and you’re still on you STUPID “i hate TP” parade. maybe you shouldn’t post as much, it would make us all feel better.